Friday, 21 April 2017

TRANSFER TALK

RMC Sport is a private French-Monégasque radio station broadcasting from France with studios in Paris and Monte Carlo. They have reported that Tottenham have renewed our interest in Newcastle United flop Florian Thauvin, now at Olympique de Marseille.

The 24-year-old (25 next January) former French Under-21 winger was the subject of interest from us before he joined Newcastle United (then in the Premier League) on 19 August 2015 when he signed a five-year deal, for a reported fee of £15 million (€17.93m - AUS$25.48m - US$19.19m).

On 31 January 2016, Newcastle United announced Thauvin would return to Olympique de Marseille on loan for the rest of the season. In July last year, Thauvin held talks with Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez and the pair agreed on another season-long loan at the French club. There is a clause in that loan deal that gives Olympique de Marseille the option to make the deal permanent this summer for £9.8 million (€11.71m - AUS$16.64m - US$12.54m).

Pochettinio is reported to have asked the opinion of Marcelo Bielsa, whose style of play has influenced Pochettino tremendously. Bielsa once claimed Thauvin was one of the best players he had ever worked with when he was head coach of Olympique de Marseille.

RMC report Spanish side Valencia and Italian side Inter Milan are both interested in him and they we have spoken to his entourage to sound out the idea of a move back to England. Current Olympique de Marseilles coach Franck Passi would like to keep him but perhaps we have a carrot in Georges-Kevin N'Koudou.

Do we keep him, have we decided he doesn't have the desire to turn potential into ability? If we decide to let him leave then returning him to the Mediterranean coast club in exchange for Thauvin could be an option.